Penalty ace Beckford proves he is ready for Premier crew

TOTTENHAM 2 LEEDS 2

Jermaine Beckford (centre) celebrates scoring his sides first goal of the game during the FA Cup []

JERMAINE BECKFORD has had a £10million tag placed on his head but Leeds are loath to sell their goal-scoring talisman because he means too much to them.

Beckford struck twice to stun Tottenham and earn League One Leeds a money-spinning replay, but that cash will appear like small change if their star striker stays and fires them into the Championship.

This will be a nervous week for Leeds fans and not just because of fixtures against fellow promotion-chasers Swindon tomorrow and Colchester on Saturday, followed by their Spurs replay.

The transfer window closes next Monday and it is a big gamble for Leeds if they do not cash in on Beckford.

His 52nd-minute equaliser and controversial stoppage-time penalty, which was dispatched with ice-cool precision, added to his reputation and a personal tally that now reads 22 goals from 32 matches.

Beckford is out of contract in the summer and could leave for nothing. He withdrew a transfer request last week with Everton, Arsenal and Newcastle all reportedly interested. Leeds manager Simon Grayson said: “He scored two but had four, maybe five, opportunities to get more goals. That’s the sign of a good striker and I’m delighted we still have him.

“There is just over a week to go before the window shuts and we are not looking to let him go. If someone offers me £10m , then maybe we would want to do something.

“His goals are more important to us than money because, if he scores the goals, we will end up getting the money by getting into the Championship. That’s what we hope for, that his goals will help us get back to the Championship which means extra revenue all the way through the club.

“He can only win in this situation because if he is playing well he might get a better move than he is looking for at this moment in time. If he sulks and doesn’t perform, then that disappears.

“Jermaine has a fantastic work ethic and the players will not allow him to do anything differently than he has been doing.”

Spurs skipper Dawson said: “You have just given a penalty away in the 95th minute, so you’re going to be heated.

“I’ve been away, looked at it and calmed down. I still believe I got the ball fairly but I’m sure everyone else will be having a discussion.

“I spoke to the referee afterwards and he said I went through the man to get the ball. You have to respect his decision now. That’s life and it has gone. Now we have to prepare for the replay and pick ourselves up for tomorrow against Fulham.

“Beckford is a good player and scores goals. I certainly believe he needs a Premier League chance.”

Beckford, who also grabbed the glory with his third-round winner at Manchester United, showed another Jermain, Tottenham’s England man Defoe, how to take a penalty. Defoe’s eighth-minute spot-kick was saved by Casper Ankergren and that is the fourth successive Spurs penalty he has failed to convert.

It is doubtful whether Defoe or Robbie Keane, who has also missed penalties, will take the next one.

Birmingham, Spartak Moscow and Lokomotiv Moscow all want Roman Pavlyuchenko, who had put Spurs 2-1 ahead on Saturday, but boss Harry Redknapp said: “I would be surprised if he wasn’t here at the end of January.

“There are exceptions to the work ethic, but you have to put a shift in. And I am not talking just about Pavlyuchenko. You can’t have two strikers who won’t work for you, who won’t run the channels and track back when they lose the ball.

“That’s what you need if you’re going to be a successful team. That’s what I changed here .”